Fastener inserting tools



Sept. 1, 1959 w. P. CROSSEN ETAL 2,

FASTENER INSERTING TOOLS Filed July 25, 1957 [nve niors k/L ZlaamPCrossn116mm VHaZZ Edwin S Kant (By their/1 and position its head in close ShoeMachinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication'July 25, 1957, Serial No. 674,188

Claims. (Cl. 1-5) This invention relates to fastener inserting andparticularly to automatically fed portable tools which are adapted forimpact driving of fasteners such as nails, sash pins, etc. This type oftool is frequently fed from a remotely located feeding mechanism,similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,785,400,granted March 19, 1957, in the names of Donald B. McIlvin, et al.,wherein fasteners are propelled one at a time 'by a blast of air througha flexible conduit to the driving tool upon receipt of a signal from thetool. In order to propel large fasteners, such as nails of 16d andupward, through a delivery conduit which may be as long as 25 or 30feet, substantial air pressure is required and by the time the nailreaches the driving tool it usually has attained considerable momentum.The nail is usually received by the tool in some form of yieldable jawswhich also serve to position the nail in the path of a driver andsupport it while it is being driven. However, it is not uncommon for anail to enter the jaws with such speed and momentum that it passescompletely out of the jaws which, of course, results in the toolmisfiring. Furthermore, a nail entering the jaws point first withsubstantial momentum often will come to rest with its point and part ofits shank extending out of the jaws leaving an insufficient amount ofthe shank in position to be gripped by the jaws to resist bending ordisplacement. In this case the nail must be pushed back into the jawsbefore being driven in order that the shank may adequately be supportedand the head located in close proximity to the striking end of thedriver.

It is an object of this invention to provide a driving 1 tool having jawmeans to receive, position and support a' nail in the path of a driverand capable of preventing the nail from passing out of the jaws whenpropelled theretowith substantial momentum. It is another object of thisinvention to provide a driving tool having jaw means which will receiveand support the shank of a nail proximity to the striking end of adriver.

With portable impact tools it has been found difiicult to drive largesizes of box nails, which have relatively t hin shanks into hard wood.This is because such nails are prone to in proportion to their lengths,successfully bending unless a substantial portion of their shanks aresupported transversely of the direction of applied force during most ofthe driving operation. Attempts have been made to remedy this situationby employing rather l engthy jaws which grip the shank with considerableforce.

However, when the head of a nail passes through such jaws they must ofnecessity release their grip upon the shank and are of no further valuein supporting it against bending.

I It is another objectof this invention to provide a nail driving toolhaving jaws which support the nail shank against bending duringsubstantially all ofthe driving operation. It is still another object ofthis invention to provide a driving tool having jaw means which do notUnitedStates Patent 0 2,901,749 Patented Sept; 1, 1959 lose their gripupon the shank of the nail passes therethrough.

In accordance withthe features of this invention there is provided afastener inserting tool having'adriver movable along a first axis and afastener delivery tube disposed along a second axis intersecting saidfirst axis, an abutment forming the terminus of said second axis. At theintersection of the axes there is pivoted a fastener receiving chucknormally'aligned with the fastener passageway to receive a fastener fromthe tube as it strikes the abutment. The fastener is thereby preventedfrom passing out of the tool. Means are provided for pivoting the chuckinto alignment with the driver whereby the received fastener may then bedriven from the tool; 'The chuck comprises a plurality of independentjaws having fastener engaging surfaces for gripping thedeliveredfastener and supporting it against movement transversely of itslength. The jaws are independently yieldable to release their grip uponthe fastener, one at a time, as the fastener is driven lengthwise fromthe chuck whereby the fastener is supported throughout a substantialportion of the driving operation. The jaws are yieldable only when thehead to pressure applied axially of the fastener and thereby providesupporting means so bend during driving.

The above and other features of the invention includ* ing various noveldetails of construction and combination of parts will now be moreparticularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation partly in section of a nail driving toolembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the tool shown in Fig. I;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view on the line III--III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a pair of nailsupporting jaws; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of the toolshown in Fig. l in the position wherein it rethat the fastener will notceives a nail.

. a nail handling nosepiece 12 slidably mounted thereon.

A fluid motor 14 in the air hammer operates to impart a series of shortrapid strokes to a nail driver 16 which extends through the hammer 10into the nosepiece 12 and is movable along a path indicated by an axisA. Compressed air is supplied to the hammer through a line 18 and isintroduced to the motor 14 by depressing a trigger 20 which, through theaction of a bell crank 22 unseats a valve 24, admitting air to a"chamber 26 from passageways 28 and 30 communicating with the line 18.Pressurization of the chamber 26 not only actuates the motor 14 but inaddition pressurizes a signal line 32 which may be connected to apneumatically operated nail delivery device of the above-mentionedMcIlvin type, not shown and not forming part of the presentinvention.Pressurization of the signal line 32 activates the nail delivery devicepreparing it to propel a nail through a flexible delivery conduit 34 tothe nosepiece 12 by compressed air upon subsequent depressurization' ofthe signal line, all in a known manner.

A sleeve 36 on the nosepiece is slidable telescopically over acylindrical extension 38 of the air hammer 10, while a compressionspring 40 at all times tends to urge the nosepiece 12 and the air hammer10 away from each other. A setscrew 42 in the sleeve 36 engages a slot'plate 56 on the nosepiece. chuck is provided with a bore 74 (Figs. 1and 5) of sufficient diameter to accommodate the driver 16. Piv- 44 inthe extension 38 to prevent relative rotation of the parts and to limitthe extent of their sliding movement. On the upper part of the nosepiece12 is a boss 46 having a bore 48 into which fits a nozzle or tube 50.The [flexible delivery conduit 34 is secured to the nozzle 50 which inturn is held within the boss 46 by a snap ring 52. The nozzle 50 formspart of a nail delivery passagewvay, intersecting, at an angle, the axisA of the driver path and indicated in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 as the axis B.

Extending to the left of the sleeve 36, as seen in Fig. 2, is a pair ofspaced parallel plates 54, 56. The plate 56 is removable and is securedto the nosepiece by a plurality of screws 58, only one of which isshown. A

chuck 60 is pivotally mounted between the plates 54 and 56 by a pair oftrunnions 62. The axis of the trunnions passes through the intersectionof the axis A of the driver and the axis B of the nail deliverypassageway.

Mounted on the plates 54 and 56 and intersecting and forming theterminus of the axis B at the left-hand end of the nosepiece is anabutment or a nail stop 64. 'Between the plates 54 and 56 the nail stopis substantially triangular in cross section and on the outside of the'plates has a pair of brackets 66, 68, securing it thereto by screws 70.

The chuck 60 is of irregular configuration and has a removable coverplate 72 (Fig. 2) facing the removable The right-hand end of the otallymounted in the chuck are a plurality of sets of jaws 78, 80 and 82. Eachset of jaws comprises a pair blocks C and D, best seen in Fig. 4, havingflat faces 84 arranged to contact each other substantially as shown. Acentral portion of each of the faces 84 of the jaw blocks are cut awayto form between them, when the jaws are touching, a cylindrical opening86 substantially the size of the shank of'a nail. 'Vertically spacedfrom the face 84, each block is provided with a transverse bore 88, itsaxis paralleling the face 84 directly above the longitudinal midpoint ofthe opening 86. Each block also 1 has a camming surface 90 herein shownas cylindrical and inclined toward its respective half of the opening86.

Also parallel with the face 84 each block has a substan- 'tially flatsurface 92 and contiguous therewith a curved surface 94 concentric withthe bore 88.

The jaws are pivoted in recesses 96 and 98 in the chuck 60 on studs 100passing through the bores 88. Pivotally urging the faces 84 of the jawsinto engagement are coil springs 102 surrounding each of the studs 100.When the faces 84 of the jaws are in contact, the flat surfaces 92engage the walls of the recesses 96 and 98, preventing the jaws fromopening toward the right.

The curved surfaces 94, however, are arranged to clear the walls of therecesses 96 and 98 and permit the jaws to open toward the left, as seenin Fig. 1, when pressure is applied to the camming surface 90 in amanner hereinafter to be described. Pressure applied to the walls of thecylindrical opening 86 will not cause the jaws to open. By theconstruction of the jaws and their arrangement within the chuck 60 thealigned openings 86 form an elongated nail support yieldable only topressure applied axially thereof.

On the outside of the plate 54 and secured to the trunnion 62 is a lever104, the movement of which causes the chuck 60 to pivot between theplates 54 and 56. The lever, and consequently the chuck, are held in theposition shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, by a tension spring 106 stretchedbetween studs 108 and 110 on the lever and nosepiece, respectively. Aplunger 112 is slid- 4 position shown in Fig. 5. The jaws are closed bythe coil springs 102 and the driver is out of the chuck occupying aposition substantially as shown. The flat contacting surfaces 84 of thejaws are in engagement and the cylindrical openings 86 are aligned withthe axis B of the nail delivery nozzle 50. The nail, which is propelledfrom the delivery device through the flexible delivery conduit 34 in aknown manner, enters the chuck point first passing through thecylindrical openings 86 in the jaws, its point striking the nail stop 64which, as stated above, intersects the axis B and forms the terminus ofthe nail delivery passageway. Because of this construction the nail isprevented from passing out of the chuck regardless of how rapidly it ispropelled thereinto from the delivery conduit. The nail is firmlygripped by the jaws 78, and 82, the walls of the cylindrical openings 86engaging its shank.

The nosepiece 12 of the gun is then pressed against a work piece W(Fig. 1) whereupon the plunger 112 is depressed pivoting the lever 104and consequently the chuck 60 into the position shown in Fig. l,whereupon the nail then lies along the axis A of the driver and is stillsupported by the jaws. The spring 106 which acts on the chuck is not asheavy as the spring 40 which is compressed between the sleeve 36 of thenosepiece and the extension 38 of the air hammer. Accordingly, by asingle movement of the gun against the work, the chuck is first pivotedinto alignment with the driver and then the spring 40 is compressed, thedriver entering the bore 74 in the chuck and engaging the nail head. Thetrigger 20 is depressed admitting air to the chamber 26 to operate themotor 14 which through the driver delivers a series of sharp blows tothe nail.

At the time the driver first contacts the nail head, all of the sets ofjaws are in engagement with the shank of the nail supporting it againstbending, but as the driver begins to drive the nail from the chuck intothe work piece the jaws 78 are pivoted open to the left by the nail headand driver engaging the camming surfaces of the jaw blocks. However, thejaws 80 and 82 retain their grip on the nail, supporting it against anytendency to bend. Eventually, with continued pressure and with thetrigger still depressed the jaws 80 and then the jaws 82 also arepivoted open as the nail head and driver engage their camming surfaces90 and pass therethrough. By the time the jaws 82 are pivoted open andrelease their grip on the nail, all but a small portion of the shank ofthe nail has entered the work and support is no longer necessary.

Upon the termination of the nail driving operation, the trigger isreleased and the gun is removed from engagement with the work piece, thespring 40 withdrawing the driver from the chuck. The spring 106 thenpivots the chuck again into alignment with the axis B of the naildelivery nozzle 50 ready to receive another nail. Release of the trigger20 stops the motor 14 and depressurizes the signal line 32 causing thethen activated nail delivery device to propel another nail through thedelivery conduit 34 whereupon the cycle may be repeated.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A fastener inserting tool having, in combination, a movable driver,an elongated fastener support comprisF ing a plurality of jawsengageable with a fastener lengthwise thereof, said jaws being yieldableonly to pressure applied lengthwise of said support, and means foralignmg said support with the path of movement of said driver whereby afastener may be driven in a lengthwise direct1on while being supportedby said jaws against transverse movement.

2. A'fastener inserting tool having, in combination, a driver movablealong a first axis, a fastener delivery passageway disposed along asecond axis intersecting said first axis, a fastener abutment formingthe terminus of said passageway, a chuck adjacent said abutment andpivotal about the intersection of said axes, said chuck having anelongated fastener support comprising a plurality of jaws engageablewith a fastener lengthwise thereof, said jaws being yieldable only topressure applied lengthwise of said support, means normally maintainingsaid chuck in alignment with said passageway for receiving in saidsupport a fastener delivered against said abutment, and means forpivoting said chuck into alignment with said driver whereby the fastenermay be driven in a lengthwise direction while being supported by saidjaws against transverse movement.

3. A fastener inserting tool having, in combination, a chuck having aplurality of sets of aligned jaws, said jaws forming an elongatedfastener support, each jaw set being independently yieldable to releasea fastener progressively of its length only when pressure is applied toeach jaw set axially of said fastener support, means restricting saidjaw sets from yielding when pressure is applied transversely of thefastener support, and a driver movable axially through said sets ofaligned jaws to drive the fastener therefrom whereby the fastener issupported transversely of the direction in which it is driven by eachjaw set independently of the other sets.

4. A fastener inserting tool having, in combination, a movable driver, achuck, a plurality of sets of jaws in said chuck, each of said jaw setscomprising a pair of blocks each having a fastener engaging surface,means normally urging said blocks toward each other whereby the surfacesform between them a fastener support, and means cooperating with saidblocks to prevent movement thereof when pressure is applied only normalto said surfaces while permitting the blocks to yield in response topressure applied axially thereof.

5. A fastener inserting tool having, in combination, a chuck having aplurality of sets of jaws, each jaw set including a pair of blocks, arecess in each block, yieldable means normally pivoting said blockstoward each other with said recesses forming between said blocks anaperture in each set of jaws, means mounting said jaw sets within saidchuck with said apertures in axial alignment forming an elongatedfastener support, means restricting the opening of said jaws when forceis applied transversely of said aligned apertures but permitting openingthereof against the force of said yieldable means by force appliedaxially of said aligned apertures, and camming surfaces on said jawblocks for receiving pressure applied axially of the aligned apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS671,731 Montambault Apr. 9, 1901 865,530 Robinson Sept. 10, 1907

